Recessed light fixture with separate outlet box



P. A. JQNES July 24, 1951 RECESSED LIGHT FIXTURE WITH SEPARATE OUTLET BOX Filed June 6, 1949 Jllllllllllllll wlllllll"li"" s .z 5 MN H 1 N m WA .1 Nan 0 T m R .P

Patented July 24, 1951 REESSED LIGHT FIXTURE WITH SEPARATE OUTLET BOX Preston A. Jones, Berkeley, Calif., assignor of one-half to Samuel L. Beber. and Jerome H. Feig, both of Los Angeles, Calif,

Application June 6, 1949, Serial No. 97,415

This invention relates to light fixtures and is particularly directed to the so-called recessed type of fixture in which the same is provided with a light source cavity having an openinginsubstantial registry with a wall orceiling surface. In general such an opening is arranged to be releasably covered by a glass or othertranslucent pane supported by portions of the frame.

An object of the present invention is to provide a recessed lighting fixture in which means are incorporated for greatly reducing the large amount of heat normally transferred between the light source within the fixture and the electrical wiring supplying current thereto Another object of the invention is to provide a fixture of the character described. in which conventional wiring may be economically yet safely utilized in place of the excessively heavy heat insulated wires heretofore required in like installations. A further object of my invention is torprovide a light fixture of the type referred to in which ready access may be had to the electricaljsupply wires without the necessity of removing the fixture from its fixed recessed position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a fixture of the above character in combination with a spaced ventilated electrical terminal or outlet box whereby heating of the latter due to conduction and radiation from the fixture light source is reduced to a minimum.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the fore going, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations'in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the fixture and outlet or wiring compartment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the line 33 of Figure 1.

In broad terms, the fixture of the present invention includes a housing generally indicated by the numeral II which is arranged to receive a lamp or other suitable light source, and a wiring compartment I2 disposed in spaced relationship to the housing but adapted for electrical connection therewith. The housing H is preferably 5 Claims. (Cl. 24078) 7 of rectangular form and includes'a bottom 1 Sand side walls I4, I6, I! and I8 respectively, the said bottom and walls defining the light-receiving cavity [9 or interior of the housing. In practice,

the housing is installed in a recess providedin a wall or ceiling of a room with the open face'of the housing substantially flush with thewall or ceiling surface. To secure the housing in such position, angle brackets or similar means maybe secured to opposed sides [6 and [8 of the housing and similarly secured to. the studs or joints of the building structure, but as this practice is con ventional and forms no part of the present invention, it has not been illustrated in the draw;

ing. v

A suitable lamp, not shown, may be engaged in a socket 2| disposed within cavity Hand mounted on a bracket 22 secured to bottom l3 and-one ior more of the side walls. As is well'known,upon energization of the lamp element; a large amount of heat is radiated therefrom, and heretofore; due to the close proximity of the lamp and the electrical connections therefor, it has been necessary to heavily insulate both the lead wires and the connector wires. The present invention over comes this objectionable requirement by substan tially isolating the housing I l'from the wiring or terminal compartment l2 while at the same time permitting ready access therebetween. As'here shown, the wiring compartment is generally cubelike in form and preferably includes fixed sides 23, 24, and 26, a removable bottom Z'land top 28, and a removable side 29 adjacent to andspaced from side I! of the housing. The removable portions of the compartment may be vsecured to the fixed sides thereof by means of screws 3! engage; able with suitably threaded apertures provided in lugs or cars 32 extending from such sides. Compartment I2 is secured to the housing in fixed spaced relation by means of brackets 33 which may be spot welded or otherwise secured to housing side I1 and sides 23 and 26 of the compartment.

Lead or supply wires 34 are brought into compartment [2 through a conduit 36 which may enter the compartment through suitable apertures provided in any of the walls thereof, and connector wires 31 connected to the socket 2| are arranged to pass into the compartment for interconnection with the lead wires 34 through a duct 38 in communication with the interior of the compartment and the housing cavity.

As an important feature of my invention, means are provided for permitting access to the wire compartment from the interior of the housing. This may be effected by providing an opening 39 in housing side I1, the said opening being in substantial registry, but spaced from. the side 29 of the wiring compartment l2. Normally, a removable closure plate 4| is secured to the inner surface of side I! by means of nuts 42 operatively connected to studs 43 mounted on the side, and when it is desired to install or inspect the wiring in the com artment, it is only necessary to remove the plate 4| and the side 29 of the compartment, the opening 39 being of a size suflicient to permit limited entry of the mechanics hand or tools therethrough. The interiors of the wire compartment and the housing are normally isolated by either the plate 4| or side 29, and due to the arrangement of the parts. the air space between these interiors will act as a heat insulator, although it will be apparent that other insulating material could be used in this space.

I claim:

1. A lighting fixture adapted to be mounted in a wall or ceiling comprising a lamp housing, said housing having a removable side portion adapted to be mounted flush with the wall or ceiling and having an opening in another of its side portions, an outlet box, means for detachably securing the outlet box on the outside of said housing and spacing it therefrom, said outlet box having a removable side portion opposite and adjacent the opening in the said side portion of said housing whereby access may be had to the interior of said outlet box from the interior of said housing, conduit means extending from said outlet box to said housing and a removable cover for the opening in the said side portion of said housing.

2. A lighting fixture comprising a lamp housing adapted to be mounted flush with a wall or ceiling, said housing having an opening in one of its side portions, a removable cover for said opening, an outlet box, means for mountin said outlet box on the outside of said housing and spacing it therefrom, said outlet box having a removable side portion opposite the opening in the said side portion of said housing whereby access may be had to the interior of said outlet box from the interior of said housing and con duit means extending from said outlet box to said housing.

3. A lighting fixture comprising a lamp housing having side portions adapted to be mounted in a wall or ceiling, an opening in one of said side portions, an electrical outlet box, means for mounting said outlet box on the outside of said housing opposite said opening and spacing it therefrom, said outlet box including an opening opposite and adjacent the opening in said housing side portion whereby access may be had to the interior of the outlet box from the interior of said housing, conduit means providing electrical connections extending from said outlet box to said housing, and means forming a removable closure for one of said openings accessible from inside said lamp housing.

4. A lighting fixture comprising a lamp housing having side portions adapted to be mounted in a wall or ceiling, an opening in one of said side portions, an electrical outlet box, means for mounting said outlet box on the outside of said housing opposite said opening and spacing it therefrom, said outlet box including an opening opposite and adjacent the opening in said housing side portion whereby access may be had to the interior of the outlet box from the interior of said housing, conduit means providing electrical connections extending from said outlet box to said housing, and means forming a removable closure for said side portion opening accessible from inside said lamp housing.

5. A lighting fixture comprising a lamp housing having side portions adapted to be mounted in a wall or ceiling, an opening in one of said side portions, an electrical outlet box having in a side thereof an opening of an area corresponding to the crosssectional area of the interior of said box, means for mounting said outlet box on the outside of said housing opposite the opening in said side portion and spacing it therefrom, said housing opening being opposite and adjacent the opening on said outlet box and being of an area substantially at least as great as that of the outlet box opening whereby unrestricted access may be had to the interior of the outlet box from the interior of said housing, conduit means providing electrical connections extending from said outlet box to said housing and means forming a removable closure for one of said openings accessible from inside said lamp housing.

PRESTON A. JONES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,542,600 Boecher June 16, 1925 1,799,304 Logan Apr. '7, 1931 2,330,935 Tuck Oct. 5, 1943 2,456,903 Versen Dec. 21, 1948 

